


With a Spin

by isthatalittlebowtie (froggydarren)



Category: Glee
Genre: KBlreversebang Hiatus challenge, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-07
Updated: 2013-11-07
Packaged: 2017-12-31 19:28:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1035498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/froggydarren/pseuds/isthatalittlebowtie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><strong>Prompt #</strong>: 3<br/><strong>Author</strong>: <a href="froggydarren.tumblr.com">froggydarren</a><br/><strong>Artist</strong>: <a href="abritincanadatwo.tumblr.com">abritincanadatwo</a><br/><strong>Rating</strong>: PG-13<br/><strong>Word Count</strong>: 5380<br/><strong>Summary:</strong> Rachel has been nagging Kurt about visiting a new bar she'd found. When she finally convinces him, Kurt finds himself at the bar alone, the evening more surprising than he'd expected.</p><p> </p><p>  <em><strong>AN:</strong> So this fic has run away on me - the plan was for something simple ;) Since it takes a village as usual: big thank you to <a href="gnomerino.tumblr.com">Nomi </a>for reading this over with her keen eye, thanks to <a href="lovetheblazer.tumblr.com">Sarah</a> and <a href="overcaustically.tumblr.com">Robert </a>for pre-reading and massive thanks to <a href="abritincanadatwo.tumblr.com">Shannen</a> for her adorable art (<a href="http://abritincanadatwo.tumblr.com/post/66303783333/wee-alright-so-drawing-what-i-still-do-this">The Art</a>) ;)</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	With a Spin

**Author's Note:**

> ****  
> _Prompts:_  
>  _Words:_ _piano, kitten, tea cup_  
>  _Image:_  
> 

Kurt walked into the bar alone, expecting Rachel to be already sitting at a table, since she'd been the one raving about the place for days. It was only that morning that he finally gave in and promised to meet her there, the first evening he had free in weeks.

_"This better be worth it, Rachel," he growled over the phone when she called him during lunch, which he was yet again spending at his sketch board, taking quick bites of a sandwich that he luckily didn't forget to make that morning, "I'm trying to get out of here early for you, I hope you appreciate it."_

_"I do, Kurt, of course," Rachel said in a tone that made him suspicious, "But really, I'm sure you're going to love the place, it's the most adorable bar, there's live music and you never know, maybe if you go up and sing…"_

_"Rachel."_

_He almost hung up on her then, exasperated with her continued efforts to push him towards auditioning for Broadway, despite his multiple reassurances that he loved working at Vogue. She wasn't one to give up easily, though._

_"I'm just saying, a lot of the producers I know hang out there," Rachel continued, undeterred by Kurt's warning tone, "There's always a slot where people are asked to sing and they have a piano player who knows every song under the sun. You might just try…"_

_"Rachel, I have to go," Kurt sighed, aware that she wasn't going to stop anytime soon if he let her babble on, "Unless you want me to be stuck here for the evening."_

_"Oh no, you're not bailing on me for tonight, Kurt," Rachel almost hissed, "No excuses, I'll see you there."_

She'd hung up on him then, ironically, since Kurt was about half a "you can make it to Broadway" line away from doing so himself. Even more irony registered with him when he scanned the bar and realized there was no sign of Rachel anywhere. Once he finished his round of cursing and got snapped out of his mind by someone pushing their way past him, he moved from the doorway that he was blocking and fished his phone out.

_[Rach] 'running late, save me a spot'_

Kurt only just held back the choice words that were on the tip of his tongue when he read the lone text message, but then spotted an empty table near the stage. The bar was beginning to fill up, so he bee-lined to the front and dropped his bag on one of the seats, then glanced around for a waiter. By the time the lights dimmed and the stage lit up, Kurt had a glass in front of him and only spared a quick glance towards the door, figuring Rachel would find him.

~-~

Blaine sneaked a look past the curtain, then smiled when he saw the bar filling up, the crowd a little different than the rest of the week. Mondays were his nights, the guests a little more varied since a lot of Broadway's theatres were dark. He loved it all the more for that, because people didn't rush off mid-performance and the occasional producer or director popped in from rehearsal. He knew a few of them from his brief stint on stage, and since he had decided to focus on his music, he was able to see them as acquaintances and friends rather than job opportunities.

That was how he got the gig in the bar originally, the manager asking him to play more than just on the occasional open mic events. It was also what helped him decide to stick with music instead of trying to make it on the theatre stages, the piano that little bit more of a passion than acting.

"Anderson, you ready?" Tommy, the owner snapped Blaine out of his daydreams.

"Did you get the piano tuned since last week?" Blaine tugged on his shirt to straighten it out, "I don't know what Don did to it last Sunday, but it was off by a mile after his slot."

"Yeah, Evy got Archie to come in," Tommy smiled, "You have the girl wrapped around your finger, all she needed was to hear your name."

Blaine blushed, knowing all too well about the event director's soft spot for him. Before the silence between them could settle in, a crash echoed through the backstage area.

"What is it now?" Tommy cussed under his breath, "Will there be one night this month when nothing breaks?"

"It wasn't me and you're my alibi," Blaine immediately rattled off, wiping the frown off the owner's face with the defensive stance, "What? You always assume it was me."

"Clearly not now, since you're in my line of sight," Tommy laughed, "I'll go investigate, you get ready, the lights are about to switch."

Blaine knew that meant the lights in the bar itself would dim soon to allow the stage to be lit up and become the focus of the room. It always gave him a rush to be at the piano and performing, so the words were like a switch for him, energy buzzing through his body. He flexed his fingers and smiled while he shuffled through his sheet music. There was never a set order of songs he played, since he was always open to suggestions from the audience and to his own moods.

"Oh no, you don't!" Evy came charging into the small area where Blaine was standing, a frown on her face, "No, little sneak, you can't come in here!"

"Evy, what…" Blaine started but then saw the culprit.

He crouched down to scoop him up, a little fuzzy bundle of fur, shivering as he cupped his palms around it. A kitten had somehow made it into the bar and Blaine was now looking at him with curiosity, the pair of wide eyes staring back at him.

"Blaine, here, let me," Evy reached out, but the kitten ducked into Blaine's palms, shivering a little harder, "Oh come on, fuzzy, I'll just bring you out, you can't be in here."

"He's terrified," Blaine stated unhelpfully, "I don't think telling him about outside is going to put you in his good graces."

"Well, what else do you suggest, Mr. Kitten Whisperer," Evelina sighed, eyes flicking between Blaine and the shaking kitten in his hands.

"Did anyone see his mother out there?" Blaine asked, stroking the damp and messy fur, then frowned when Evy's face fell, "Oh no…"

"I'm afraid that's why this little guy darted in here when Suzie opened the door," she explained, "But he can't stay, you know that."

"No, I… he's so tiny, we can't just throw him out."

"It's not like I can kitten-sit until someone from the shelter comes to get him, Blaine," Evy sighed, exasperation clear in her face, "Tommy won't, you know he's allergic to them and we have a full house, so everyone else is actually doing their job. As _you_ should be."

"I'll keep him, I don't think he's going anywhere," Blaine looked down at the kitten, "Right, Tony?"

"And he already named the cat," Evelina threw her hands up, "Okay, you talk it out with Tommy, though."

"I will, but I'm due to go on stage about," he glanced at his watch, "now. Do we have anything I can keep him in?"

Evy rolled her eyes and walked out, leaving Blaine to look for a solution to his sudden problem of cat storage, mumbling to herself about Blaine's savior complex.

~-~

Kurt's eyes narrowed when the curtain opened on the stage then he glanced to his phone, but found nothing but a dark screen. Another quick look towards the doors made him realize that Rachel wasn't going to make it for at least the initial set, so he settled into his chair. The piano player shuffled around the stage for a while and Kurt couldn't tear his eyes away, though he couldn't see the man's face. Even so, he figured it was someone of about his own age, if he went by anything other than the man's clothes. Those, Kurt couldn't stop his mind from judging, were something that belonged on someone from the 50s. A neatly ironed shirt with a vest over it and he caught a glimpse of what could only have been a bowtie. The man's pants were fitting nicely and left little to Kurt's imagination, especially when the pianist stretched to place something on top of the upright set up in the middle of the stage.

"Hi everyone," the man finally turned to the audience, "I’m Blaine, and I'll be your entertainment for the next few hours. For those of you who are not new to this fine establishment my apologies for putting up with my intro to the newcomers."

Kurt glanced up and blushed, his table right at the stage putting him in Blaine's line of sight.

"I do take requests, though keep in mind the music is meant to be jazz," Blaine continued, eyes not wavering from Kurt, "I'm sure we can get away with Broadway, but I wouldn't chance Metallica, unless you have sheet music for a jazz version handy. If you do, bring it on, I like a challenge."

There were a few laughs from those in the bar obviously familiar with Blaine's chatter and Kurt joined in, a little unnerved by Blaine's gaze.

"Now, without boring you with any more talk, let's get the music going," Blaine smiled brightly and settled down on the stool, fingers immediately on the piano keys.

Kurt let out the breath he realized he was holding and sipped on his drink as the first song filled the room, his mind taking in the very familiar melody.

_Come with me and you'll be in a world of pure imagination…_

Within the first few moments, Kurt noticed Blaine glancing towards the top of the piano, lingering on there with a slightly worried expression in his face that made Kurt frown too. The only thing he could see was an oversized tea cup that he presumed was filled with tea, as Blaine was not only playing, but also singing.

"Oh," he whispered with a gasp when Blaine lost himself in the solo part of the song and something moved inside the tea cup.

 _That's a kitten_ , Kurt thought, an involuntary smile tugging on his lips, _who puts a kitten in a cup?_

~-~

Blaine's eyes flitted between the keys of the piano, the cup perched on top of it and the man at the front table who was unwittingly making it hard for Blaine to keep his composure. It wasn't that Blaine had never seen anyone attractive at work, there had even been times he'd been flirted with quite openly, but this man was somehow _more_. The songs he was picking were pretty much giving away just how taken he was by the handsome face, his heart skipping a little when he caught the man mouthing the lyrics on occasion.

“You’re as subtle as a sledge hammer,” Evy grinned when he passed by her on the way to get a bottle of water.

“What?” Blaine spun towards her, his eyes bugging out in surprise.

“Don’t think I haven’t noticed you eyeing the guy at the front,” she laughed, “though I do have a feeling it might be mutual.”

Blaine’s cheeks turned bright red at her words, then his expression sank at her next words.

“Of course,” she glanced towards the cup in Blaine’s hand, “It could just be the little mischief bundle. He’s been peeking out of the cup a lot.”

“Oh boy,” Blaine panicked a little, “Do you think Tommy noticed?”

“Not yet, but you do know it’s a matter of time, right?”

Blaine nodded and put a palm over the top of the cup as the kitten looked like he was attempting to jump.

“I’m hoping he’ll only notice during the last set,” Blaine smirked, “you know he wouldn’t interrupt while someone is playing.”

“Oh you two,” Evy nodded towards the kitten and then Blaine, “You’re a match made in heaven.”

He sighed, but he knew there were only two more sets to go, his usual slot on Mondays one third done now. With a glance around for Tommy, Blaine grabbed a bottle of water out of the staff stash and rummaged for a little saucer and a pitcher with milk. Hiding in the corner, he let the kitten attack the milk, though he was careful to cover up anything in the vicinity so he wouldn’t end up cleaning up stains. Or worse, having milk on himself and offering temptation for Tony to go exploring while he played. Once the milk was gone, he rinsed the saucer and left it by his bag, knowing he’d need it again during the next break. With the kitten safely back in the cup, he returned to the stage and glanced back to the audience.

To his delight, the man at the front table was still there, though Blaine didn’t miss the angry frown as the man seemed to be typing something on his phone.

“Let’s continue with something cheerful,” Blaine spoke when the lights changed again, the difference more subtle now after only a break, “As I said before, suggestions are welcome, but I’ll take over the first one, if that’s okay with you all?”

He didn’t wait to get the acknowledgment from the audience before he started playing.

_I get no kick from champagne, mere alcohol doesn’t thrill me at all…_

~-~

 “Oh she can’t be serious,” Kurt muttered when the lights brightened in the room and the piano player snuck off stage, for his break, Kurt assumed.

He forgot about his phone until that moment, mesmerized by not only the music and the pianist’s voice, but also endlessly amused by his interaction with the curious kitten. Kurt found himself switching between singing along songs he knew well and chuckling to himself at the pianist’s frowns and glances towards the little fur bundle. There was a moment or two when Kurt expected the kitten to jump out, but obviously, so did the player and each time he managed to reach out and calm it down enough that it stayed. Still laughing at the last save, Kurt glanced to his phone and immediately cussed.

_[Rach] Won’t make it after all, say hi to Blaine from me._

_[Rach] Blaine’s the piano player, by the way._

_[Rach] Maybe you should ask him for coffee after._

Not only was his best friend abandoning him on a night _she_ had insisted on, she also, and he slowly realized she’d planned it, tried to set him up with a guy Kurt had never met. Granted, she did get it right this time and Kurt did find the man appealing, but the thought of being set up still irked him to no end.

_[Kurt] Did you plan this, Rachel?_

_[Rach] Of course not, Kurt!_

_[Kurt] I have a hard time believing you._

_[Rach] Believe what you want. You really should at least talk to him. He’s nice. You never know._

_[Kurt] I don’t need you to be a matchmaker, Rach._

_[Rach] But you haven’t been on a date in months. And he’s cute. I wanted to ask him out, but he’s “definitely gay” as he said._

So now he was getting Rachel’s leftovers, Kurt thought bitterly as he glanced back to the stage, the man, Blaine, settling down at the piano again, the kitten back in its spot on top of the upright.

 _He is cute_ , Kurt thought, but then shook his head. For all he knew, the guy wasn’t even gay, just intent on stopping Rachel’s attempts at flirting. He’d enjoy one more set and then he would head home, hopefully to a Rachel-free loft. It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy the music, but something about sitting alone in a bar after being technically stood up was making his mood sink. Even as he’d recognized yet another song from the first notes, his mood remained low. That was, until his eyes were drawn to the kitten-cup, as he’d been calling it in his head since the first set.

Blaine seemed to be engrossed in the song, so he didn’t notice the kitten scrambling up and over the edge of the porcelain until it was only hanging off the edge by its back legs. Its front paws shifted on the polished surface of the piano and Kurt felt like he was watching an animated movie - the kitten’s paws slid, then retreated but then slipped again a few times in quick succession. That was what finally caught Blaine’s attention but as he was mid-song, there was little he could do without attracting even more attention. Moments later, the cup tilted and fell over with a muted thud, still on the top of the piano, and the kitten landed on its tummy next to it.

Kurt knew the song well enough to notice that Blaine cut off a chorus or two off the end as he tried to react before the kitten ran off. It seemed to be content with just being out of the cup and it nuzzled into Blaine’s hand when he reached up.

~-~

With no other place to stash Tony, Blaine sighed and tucked him behind his vest once he’d scooped him up off the piano. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to leave the kitten be, he seemed comfortable enough, really, but Blaine couldn’t put trust in him staying where he was. Just then, as he was settling back to try and play another song as quickly as possible, he spotted Tommy to the side of the stage.

“ _You, me, talk_ ,” Tommy mouthed, pointing and mimicking the talking gesture.

Blaine nodded and hung his head, not allowing himself to wonder just how much trouble he was in. It wouldn’t do him any good to spend the rest of the set worrying, he figured and ducked his head a little so his chin just touched Tony’s head. It wasn’t the most comfortable position, nor would he be able to stay like that once he started singing, but for now, he deliberately picked an instrumental song.

The contact worked like magic and calmed the kitten down, though Blaine had moments when he had to suppress a giggle or two as Tony squirmed around. Finally, when the song was almost over, the kitten was settled, head resting on the ‘v’ of Blaine’s vest, shifting slightly to follow the movement of Blaine’s fingers.

“Now, I’ll keep things simple,” Blaine spoke to the audience, “Since there are no requests tonight. There’s still time, just leave them with one of our lovely staff and they’ll deliver. Not on the singing, though, I don’t think,” he finished, winking at Evy who rolled her eyes.

He usually tried to get one or two of the staff members on stage to join him, not always just the ones he knew were amazing. It was all in good fun, every time, but somehow, with Tony tucked inside his clothes, it didn’t seem like the best idea. The next few songs passed faster to him than he would’ve wanted, since he knew he’d be facing Tommy during the break. As the set ran to a close, Blaine started bracing himself for the trouble and his nervousness seemed to transfer to the kitten who began shifting restlessly.

“I’m sorry, Tommy, I just…” Blaine started the moment he stepped off stage and almost ran into the owner.

Tommy lifted a finger to tell Blaine to wait, sneezed a few times and then narrowed his eyes at the bundle of fur now curled up in Blaine’s hands.

“What were you thinking, Blaine? What if he’d ran off? Can you imagine the health and safety issues…”

“I know, and I am _really_ sorry, but he’s alone, it was just before I started and _look_ at him!” Blaine began lifting the furball towards Tommy who immediately stepped away.

“Don’t. I’m doing all I can to not sneeze my brain out,” Tommy grumbled, “Also to not just send you home and ask you to not come back,” Blaine froze at the words, “I’ll not do that this time. You _have_ to find somewhere for him to go, though. Now.”

With that, Tommy spun on his heels and marched towards Evy who was standing near by, allergy meds and water in her hands. Blaine knew better than to look in their direction, not ready for either Tommy’s scathing glare nor Evy’s ‘I told you so’ expression.

“What am I going to do with you, Tony?” he whispered to the kitten in his hands once he walked away from the staff area, then his shoulders slumped further.

~-~

Kurt walked past the staff corridor on his way from the bathrooms and couldn’t help overhearing the last few lines coming from it. He stopped in his tracks and frowned, then breathed a sigh of relief. He couldn’t figure out why it was that he cared, but the idea of Blaine losing his job made him anything but happy. The text he got from Rachel just as the break started sprang to his mind.

_[Rach] I’m pretty sure you’re going to want to see him play again._

There was no questioning, no wondering _if_ Kurt would and he cursed her for knowing him so well. Now, faced with the possibility of not knowing if he’d be able to, Kurt realized that she was right, he would want to come back specifically to hear Blaine play again. He heard a shuffle after the final line that made his breathing easier and Blaine stepped out of the corridor on the side, then stopped only a few steps in front of Kurt, head down.

“What am I going to do with you, Tony?” Kurt heard the whisper, the hallway they were in free from the bar noises.

He didn’t know what it was that made him move, what made him walk around Blaine and stop in front of him and smile.

“Hi,” Kurt said when Blaine looked up, “I’ve heard about your … little furry problem…”

The moment the words were out, Kurt groaned internally at the cheesiness of them. To his relief, Blaine chuckled but then sighed.

“I might be able to help you?” Kurt offered, then realized Blaine was probably confused why a complete stranger was talking to him.

He didn’t miss the surprise in the golden eyes, nor the frown that followed, so he offered an apologetic smile and reached his hand out towards Blaine.

“I’m Kurt. And I believe you’ve met my best friend, Rachel,” he offered as an explanation.

“Oh, yes, Rachel,” Blaine laughed, “So you’re the elusive roommate?”

“Okay, now I’m worried what else she may have told you,” Kurt shuddered, “But I believe there’s a more pressing issue to deal with. But yes, I _will_ be dealing with _Rachel_ later.”

There was a moment of silence again, and Kurt watched Blaine’s expression flicker between suspicious, worried, and ultimately hopeful.

“What is it that you’re suggesting?” Blaine finally asked, eyebrow lifted a fraction.

“I was going to leave anyway,” Kurt stated and didn’t miss the way Blaine’s face fell at the words, so he hastened to clarify, “Because Rachel bailed on me and I was going to take advantage of an empty loft, because it’s so rare that that happens.”

“Oh,” Blaine relaxed visibly.

“So, unless you think you can’t trust me, I could take this little guy,” Kurt pointed to the kitten who immediately stretched and bumped his nose against Kurt’s finger, making him giggle, “And watch him until you’re finished playing. Then I can bring him back and you won’t get into more trouble.”

“You’d do that?” Blaine’s face lit up, “I mean, I don’t know if I can ask you to, you don’t know me and it’s a strange cat, but he’s really peaceful so far and…”

“Blaine,” Kurt couldn’t help but laugh at the rambling, “You’re not asking, I’m _offering_. I’ve watched him as you played. He needs keeping an eye on, but he’s been impressively relaxed, for a kitten. I really wouldn’t mind.”

~-~

Blaine stared at the man in what could only be classified as shock. He’d spent the whole evening playing songs for him, pretty much, and here he was, offering to help Blaine like it wasn’t even a question. Like they weren’t complete strangers. The moment he heard Rachel’s name, it clicked with him why she’d been so curious about his schedule for the week and while he noticed Kurt’s annoyance with her meddling, Blaine couldn’t help but want to send her a gift basket. Or give her a kitten.

 _Except she’s not getting Tony_ , he thought.

“I don’t know if I could repay you if you did that,” Blaine said with a grateful tone, “I mean, if you do this, you can call in any favor you want, really, I’ll do it. And I’m rambling again, but really, thank you.”

“I might just hold you to that,” Kurt chuckled and Blaine felt heat rising to his cheeks.

_Is he flirting?_

“So, he’s been fed earlier, but I can get you something from the back so you don’t have to,” Blaine shook himself out of his musings and tried to remain calm, “He’s probably going to be looking for more soon.”

Kurt’s eyes dropped from Blaine’s face to the furball in his hands and he reached out, waiting for Blaine to get the hint and hand the kitten over. Tony almost jumped into Kurt’s hands the moment Blaine moved him closer and immediately curled up.

“Oh I see,” Blaine pouted, “I _fed_ you and kept you from getting thrown out, is this how you repay me?”

The sound of Kurt’s laughter was the most amazing sound Blaine had ever heard. Kurt shifted the kitten into one hand and pulled a white business card out of his pocket, then handed it to Blaine.

“Here’s my card,” he offered, “Call me when you’re finished? You only have one more part to go, right?”

Blaine nodded and glanced at the card before he pushed it into his back pocket.

“I can come and get him, if you don’t want to stick around or get out of your way to come back here,” he offered to Kurt.

“We’ll stay close, won’t we?” Kurt responded and lifted Tony closer, “It’s not like it’s that long and I’d be only just getting to Bushwick by the time you’re done, anyway.”

Blaine nodded, still feeling like the whole evening was just some sort of bizarre dream.

“Again, thank you, thank you so much,” he smiled, “I’ll call the moment I’m off stage and relieve you of cat-sitting duties. Thank you!”

“It’s fine, Blaine. I’m happy to help. Now go, before you get into more trouble,” Kurt waved his hand towards the stage, laughing quietly, “We’ll be waiting.”

It was one of the cutest images ever, Kurt and Tony both looking at Blaine as he walked over to the stage, glancing back a few times with a giddy grin on his face. He settled at the piano and righted the tea cup on top, then started playing a song that had been on his mind through the whole conversation. He wondered if he’d imagined the sound of Kurt’s laughter as the song became recognizable.

~-~

Kurt was still giggling when he walked out into the street in front of the club, He’d had to rush out when the generic scales morphed into _Everybody Wants to be a Cat_ from the Aristocats, because he couldn’t hold back the laughter anymore.

“Oh, he’s a funny one,” Kurt mumbled towards the kitten peeking curiously out of his hands as they made their way down the street, “Don’t tell Rachel I admitted that, but she may have gotten it right this time.”

Tony mewled from his hiding spot in what Kurt took to understand as agreement. There weren’t many places he could go, so he wandered past windows of shops slowly, trying not to seem too crazy as he chatted to the kitten on and off. Once he’d figured out it kept Tony calmer, Kurt shrugged off the potential embarrassment and ignored curious looks, though he did stop and smile when a few people laughed and voiced their opinion on the kitten’s cuteness.

“You’re a little show-off, aren’t you?” Kurt giggled when Tony preened at a friendly lady who’d asked to see him closer, “Maybe Blaine should get a gig you can participate in.”

Eventually, his phone buzzed and he tucked the kitten into the inside pocket of his coat, then answered the call with his usual business-like tone. It melted into a friendlier one when he heard Blaine on the other end of the line.

“We’re fine, hope the set went well,” Kurt answered Blaine’s query about how they were, “Interesting song you opened with,” he added with a laugh.

“ _So, not to keep you any longer, where can I meet you and how can I repay you?_ ” Blaine asked, his voice cheerful and bright.

“I’m not sure,” Kurt decided to tease a little, “Tony and I have bonded quite well, I think I might decide that he’s the price for the favor.”

Immediately, he regretted the joke as he heard Blaine’s deflated “oh” in response, and he rushed to clarify.

“I’m kidding, Blaine,” he said, the laughter gone from his voice, “We’re actually only a few doors down, so we can meet you at the front?”

With the affirmative response from Blaine, Kurt hung up and stashed the phone away, then ruffled the fur on Tony’s head affectionately.

“Let’s get you back to him,” he said quietly, “Though I might need to ask for visiting rights, you’ve kind of grown on me.”

Since he really was only a few buildings away from the bar, it didn’t take long before he was at the entrance, wondering if there was a staff one he should be looking for. The worry and thinking proved pointless when Blaine almost ran out the door and only just came to a stop in front of Kurt.

“Oh, hi, so,” Blaine sounded a little breathless, “Thank you again. Really, I can’t…”

“It’s okay, Blaine,” Kurt cut him off, “You didn’t get more hassle for all this, did you?” he asked with a wave towards his coat pocket where Tony was peeking out.

“No, once Tommy, my boss,” Blaine clarified quickly when Kurt’s face showed confusion, “stopped sneezing, it was all good. I might need to invest into something to keep my clothes fur-free, if this little guy is staying with me.”

“Who says I’m giving him back?” Kurt smiled, then laughed out loud at Blaine’s stricken expression.

“But…” Blaine started, but then stopped himself from saying anything that would come across a little too much like a petulant child tone, “I guess, I don’t really have a claim to him. And he does like you a lot.”

Kurt glanced down to the kitten who was still peeking out of the pocket and eyeing Blaine with curiosity.

“I’m just cat-sitting,” he laughed, “I was joking, Blaine, here…” he started reaching for Tony to hand him over.

“Actually,” Blaine stopped him, “I was wondering, would you like to go for a drink? Or dinner? So you can spend more time with Tony, of course,” he added hastily, his face burning, “We could discuss visiting rights?”

There was so much hope seeping through Blaine’s tone that Kurt couldn’t help but find it endearing. He wasn’t quite ready to part with either Blaine or Tony, so he nodded.

“I would love to,” he said, then frowned, “but where can we go with a furball like this?”

“I know a place,” Blaine replied confidently, his mind on a diner where he knew most of the staff and that was open all night, “It’s not too far,” he added and offered his arm to Kurt.

With covert smiles towards each other when they thought the other one wasn’t looking, they set off down the street, Tony settled back in Kurt’s coat, purring.

 _I might just need to thank Rachel, she got things right, for once,_ Kurt smiled to himself.

 


End file.
